Carnoustie, Scotland - Tiger Woods shot a two-under 69 on Saturday and finished 54 holes at one-under-par 212 at the British Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Woods currently trails Sergio Garcia by six shots as the Spaniard is finishing his front nine.
Woods was erratic all day on Saturday, but was able to save some clutch pars.
He missed a 15-foot birdie putt at the first, then drove into the rough at two and dropped a shot. Woods got it going with the flat stick at four when his 50-footer found the bottom of the cup for birdie. He made it two in a row with a 15-footer at five, but ran into some trouble at six.
At the par-five hole, Woods hammered his drive down the fairway, but sprayed his second right into the gallery, hitting a woman. He got a good break in that he could hit his third from fairly tame rough, but a camera went off in his backswing. Woods stopped the swing, but could only make par.
Woods once again hit a poor approach, this time at seven, but his putter was still hot. He drained a 35-footer for birdie, but dropped a shot at 10 when his drive went in the tall grass and he could not hole an 18-footer.
Woods saved par from six feet out at the 12th and knocked his second well right of the target at the par-five 14th. He chipped inside two feet and tapped in for a birdie to get back under par for the championship.
He holed another clutch par save at 15. Woods hit a horrible two-iron right at the par-three 16th, but once again, found a way to save par.
At the closing hole, Woods hit another shaky drive into the left rough. He pitched out his second, then played a wedge to five feet. The two-time defending champion sank the par save to get in at minus-one.
“That was huge,” said Woods, referring to his save at the last. “That kept me in red figures. As of right now, I’m still in reach. It’s just one of those days.”
Woods has never come from behind to win any of his 12 major championships. So far in 2007, Woods has been in the final group on Sunday at both the Masters and U.S. Open, and even held a piece of the lead on Sunday, but did not make it to the winner’s circle. Woods tied for second in both.
He can become the first player to win three consecutive British Opens since Peter Thomson in 1954-56.
